How many Letches have you gone through.

worldtalker

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May 11, 2011
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Msbeepbeep

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Jun 24, 2012
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Haven't tried one of those, I have different ones.
Can't you grind a new beveled edge on it?
 

bill from lachine

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Oct 30, 2011
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Chris,

I've had my current one for like 8 to 10 years.....I've had it sharpened a couple of times by the guy that goes up and down the streets during summer with his truck.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

pepperj

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Feb 3, 2009
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Chris,

I've had my current one for like 8 to 10 years.....I've had it sharpened a couple of times by the guy that goes up and down the streets during summer with his truck.

Regards + HH

Bill

Just to get the rust off of it Bill? :laughing7:
 

bill from lachine

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Yeah actually this spring there was a fair amount of rust on it so I used some steel wool on it and sprayed it with WD40 so hopefully I can milk it for a couple more years.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

pepperj

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Now that spring has arrived it's time to make it shine by shoving it in the dirt for a few digs.:)
 

Uncle Jeff

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May 28, 2013
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Ahh Am I the only one that notice, He is showing a picture of a cheep Chinese knock off? That is not a Lesche in your picture but a fake. Least it looks that way to me. There should not be any weld marks on the shovel blade at all, But the shovel in the picture has a weld mark both on the front and the back of the blade close to the handle. Instead of a weld mark there there should be a forged /casted raised hump on the front of the shovel blade, and a corresponding divot on the back. See my image below, where my image of a genuine digger has a hump just below the warning sicker, his image has a weld. his image also appears to have a flat shovel blade, where the real digger blade would be curved.

Ohh and 4 years still on my first digger....

Lesche_Digger.jpg
 

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pepperj

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Got my first look-a-like when I bought the SE, wore it out in one season so driving through Orlando I stopped and got it replaced, it didn't last a season, won a real one and it's still ticking along very nicely.
 

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worldtalker

worldtalker

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Ahh Am I the only one that notice, He is showing a picture of a cheep Chinese knock off? That is not a Lesche in your picture but a fake. Least it looks that way to me. There should not be any weld marks on the shovel blade at all, But the shovel in the picture has a weld mark both on the front and the back of the blade close to the handle. Instead of a weld mark there there should be a forged /casted raised hump on the front of the shovel blade, and a corresponding divot on the back. See my image below, where my image of a genuine digger has a hump just below the warning sicker, his image has a weld. his image also appears to have a flat shovel blade, where the real digger blade would be curved.

Ohh and 4 years still on my first digger....

View attachment 1150354

Would this be the same thing as a watch marked Rolex that's not a Rolex?
 

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Charlie P. (NY)

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Feb 3, 2006
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Still on my first . . . maybe 10 years now. Been sharpened at least every February. Usually when I start to get antsy.
 

Msbeepbeep

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Seems a little odd that a high quality tool like that would only last you a year. It's possible but odd.

Did you buy them all at the same place?
 

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worldtalker

worldtalker

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Seems a little odd that a high quality tool like that would only last you a year. It's possible but odd.

Did you buy them all at the same place?

It doesn't matter how hard the metal is,sticking it in the ground takes a toll on the edge,I like mine sharp.

This is the first tool I used,Navy Seal,VERY hard steel,a file wasn't much good trying to keep it sharp and eventually the edge became too rounded.When I used my first Letche I couldn't believe how I got along without it.

I said the same thing when I got my DX-1....the 2 together makes it a lot easier and quicker.

I've purchased them at several sites.
 

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Charlie P. (NY)

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Feb 3, 2006
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Nice Mk 3 Mod 0! I've had one of those on the boat for a long time. As you say - tough as a file. I use diamond hones.
 

finderskeepers

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3 years for me! I too keep a small file in my car and usually touch it up every other or 3rd hunt depending on use. Feels like it still has years to go. LOVE MINE :)
 

Carolina Tom

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13 months of hard use... no winter time off for me. I don't clean or sharpen mine. So far so good, I believe it will last for several more years... at least.
 

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worldtalker

worldtalker

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Nice Mk 3 Mod 0! I've had one of those on the boat for a long time. As you say - tough as a file. I use diamond hones.

When it comes to knives I only know one way...SHARP,I prefer stones,Soft India to Hard Arkansas,don't forget the oil.:laughing7:
 

Dave Rishar

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Mar 6, 2008
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It sounds as if you're sharpening right on the edge, and not working the primary bevel. When the geometry starts going wonky, remove material from the primary bevel until the edge is restored. As long as you're doing it evenly, you'll have a sharp edge until you've removed so much material that the primary bevels meet. I'd expect this to take three or four decades of hard use with a Lesche.

To clarify:

bevels.jpg

Touch-ups on the green area are fine, and a small secondary bevel is a good idea for most (but certainly not all) cutting tools. When it no longer cuts no matter what, you'll have to remove metal from the red area. Maintain the angle or you'll change the geometry, and probably not in a good way. A useful trick to verify your sharpening angle is to use a Sharpie to color the area that you're sharpening, as the hone will remove the ink that it's contacting.
 

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